Repeater-motor indicator



Aug. 21, 1928. 1,681,542

R. E. KORTEPETER ET AL REPEATER MOTOR INDICATOR Filed Dec. 1. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l A ou AMU/ Aug. 21, 1928. 1,681,542

R. E. KORTEPETER ET AL REPEATER MOTOR INDICATOR Filed Dec. 1. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 UJg. b,

' vwewco RALPH [.ff0R TEPETER *0 Avon ANUNSEN Patented Aug. 21, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

, ergen nonenrnrnn, or isnoonnrn, nnn linens entonnsnn, F GLENDALE, new

, Yonn, .essrsnons so rm; .SPERBYtGYBOS-COP E COMPANY, or BjnooKLYmnnw niiPEATER-Mo'ron' INDICATOR.

Application filed December I, 192 1." Serial No. 519,058. I

- This invention relates to repeater motors adapted to position indicators or other devices in' accordance with a remotely located transmission device; :More specifically the invent-ion relates to repeater motors, adapted througlra limited number of field polesto position an armature in a much larger nnmber of positions. i

Motors of this type are used to position indicators which are usually fmonnte'd 'directly on-the shaftof the. motor armature. \Vhere the field poles are energize-d in varionscombinations to step the armature into corresponding and definite positionss ditheulties frequently arise due to very slight differences in the strength of the several field poles. This results in inaccurate adjustment of the indicator card; the references carried by the eardbeing slightly out of proper position in onedirection or the other.

One of the objects of the present invention is toovercome this objection by devising a motor which, when responding to impulses received from "the transmitter, moves the index reference to a precise position on a dead center.

irnotherobject is to devise an improved means forthrowing the motor armature out of its step positions when the current is turned 01?, so that when thecurrent is turned on again, it the transmitter should have been turned through an angle of 180, the repeater will not be held out of synchronism. Other objects will appear in the descripion which follows:

Referring to the drawings wherein we have shown wl'iat we now consider to be the preferred form of our invention: i Fig. l is atop view of a repeater motor embodying our invention.

Fig.2 is adetail in :1

shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 IS a mounted on the top of the motor.

Fig. 4 is seet onalview taken online 4 4; f Fi 3.

[ s 5 is a det i Sh ng; che n Wi Blew and a m ture 1f t em e i On the lever 22 wehave shown different working; position of a portion of the mechanism side detail ofthe mechanism Fig. 61s a wiringdiagram ofthe motor and transmitter.

The repeater motor 1 is shownas comprising plurality of field poles 2' with windings 3 therefor; 'and an armatnre 4, contained in a [casing 5. Thearmature' shaft 6 bearing iirtlie endinembelfi'f' of the casing and projecting therethrough, may

have lined thereon by .means of-a set screw 8, a star wheel 9. A seeondstar wheel 10 may be loosely mounted on the'shaft and may be provided with one or more slots 11 therethrongh, throughwhich se 'rews l2 may project; said screws. being threaded into the star wheel 9. This will holdt-he wheel 10 in place andpermit it to rotate slightly 7 with respect to the shaft (3.

An index card 13 having ahnb or web portion 14 may be fixedly seeured at 15 to the star wheelIO, a1 clniay' have suitably inscribed thereon index references 7 16 adapted to registerwith any suitable'eoopcrating reference, such as awi ndow 17 in sensing 18' adaptedto contain the apparatus.

Mounted on the top of 'the motor and secured thereto at 1 9,fwehave shown an electromagnet 20. Associated with the electronmgnet is a braeketQllhaving pivotally attached thereto at a lever baid lever carries'a detent 24 stone end thereof which is adapted toengagethe star wheel 9 as inl lig. l. 'A spring 25'may serve to hold the "detent' normally in engagement with the star wheel The rear end of the lever '22 is adjacent the eleetromagnet 20,. p

the lever thus constituting the armature of the magnet. Thus, when the magnet is energized the actionof'spring 2.5" is overcome and the detent 24 is disengaged from the star ,wheel.

wheel as in Fig. 1, andjlen'gaged there;vith

h n eten T24: isid sens s dl Theiinotorillustrated is a 20 step motor, the fire P les bemg exeit ci. is i t e w r when it is lodged in one of the notches as in F 2, one of the references 16 will,reg- The detent 2t is ister with the window 17. so positioned however, that when it is lodged in one of the notches of the star wheel 9,

as shown in 1, the armature 4 will oc-.

. cupy a position bet-weenits operating step positions and the references 16 will be out of register with window 17.

The points of the star-wheel 9 are shown as sharp, While those of wheel '10 may be cut oft as indicated. By this construction it will be seen-that whatever-=position the wheel 9'may be in when the detent 24: is brought into engagement therewith by the action of spring 25, the detent willfind its way to the bottom of one of the notches, while the detent- 28 may ride easily over the points offthe wheel 10 and settle into the notches only when the motor armature is closeto oneof its step positions.

The field Coils 3, the armature coil 40 and the electromagnet are connected by Wires 29 to transmitter 80, (see also .Fig. 6).

The operation of the device is as follows; vVhenthe current is turned on, the armature t and the electromagnet 20 are designed to be constantly energized. The magnet-2O will thus hold thedetent 24 out of and the detent 28in engagement with their respective star-wheels as in Fig. 2. Energization of the fields in their various combinations will cause movement of the'armature to correspond. littovement of the armature will in turn move the card 13 to place the desired reference 16 into register with the Window 17, By reason of slight errors inherent in this type of motor, however, and by reason I of the lost motion between the armature and tle into the. notch through which it is riding the card, it will be seen that the reference is apt to be slightly too high or too low with respect to the window. This error will be corrected by the detent 28 which rides over star wheel 10. When the armature stops moving and is held in position by the magnetic forces of the fields, the detent will setand so adjust the card that the reference register correctly with the window.

Should a different combination of "field poles now be energized, the armature would be shifted aecordinglyfand the detent 28 would again effect the fine adjustment of the reference. s

It is, of course, understood that While the rout. Detent 28 quickly with cloth or nesr542 device is energized, any actuation of the transmitter to shift the position of the armature at, causes energization of each step of the repeater motor in rapid succession, so that the armature will follow the transmitter step by step, but if when the device is deenergized the transmitter were adjusted.

to cause a shifting of the armature through j 180, and the" current then'turned ion, the armature not having moved would be caught on dead" center, so to speak and woulobe.

through 180, the corresponding energization of the fields of the'repeater will effect a greater force on the arn' ature about its axis of rotationon one side than on the other and the armature willlbe caused to respond.

Heretofore, in indicators of this andsiinilar nature, the'reference numerals have fre quently appeared out of position and mistakes in'reading are common in such cases. Such mistakes cannot occur with our invention, however, and if-the reference is not in pr per position, it will be understood that the apparatus is not in operation. A further function then of the detent 24 in throwing the indoxreference out of-posi- 'tion asin Fig. 1, is toshow that the apparatus is .not in operation. a

Detent or roller 28 also has afurtherimportant function than that stated above, In repeater motors of this character, vibration or hunting is found to occur, which interferes with accurate reading untii it damped suppresses or damps any vibrationpof the, card and also of the motor, if the pin 12 is at or near one end of slot 11. As an alternative or supplementary damping means, I may also employ a fly wheel 31 loosely mounted on shaft 6 of motor 1 between collars 32 and 33 pinned on the shaft. Said collars are preferably provided friction surfaces resting against the fly wheel, the whole acting as a "very effective damper. if i In addition to the foregoing semi-mechanical means for obtainingv clear cut definition of steps in the step by step rotation of the armature 4, I prefer to so shape the pole piecesand armature as to greatly assist in sharp definition. To this end, I find the construction of the pole face andarmature face illustrated in the drawings preferable. As indicated above, the motor'illustrated is a 20 step motor having two opposite extending armatures 4 and 4; on opposite ends V oi the shaft 6 the armatures being polarized by a fixed coil indicated by the circle 40; in 1', shown more clearly in Fig; 4 and in the wiring diagramof Fig; 6. Although the motor has steps, it only possesses live poles 2, so that the armature occupies four dilterent positions in advancing over the face of each polew To'localize the magnetic fiuxin eacl position I prefer to shape the poles themselves with a plurality of teeth 31, 32 and 33; vwhich are separated by cut away portions 34:. Said teeth really constitute auxiliary poles or points of maximum flux concentr'ationifor the differentpositions of the armature in passing across the face of the pole; The armature on the'other hand preferably provided with cut away or reduced end" portions 35 a and 36, thus providing acentralportion 37 of greater radius than theendportions. With proper proportions then, the armature will occupy the following four positions for each pole; y i J at p0s2't'z'0'n.-ll hen approaching ithe polemarked 2 in Fig. 1,the central portion 37 of thearmaturewill lie with the upper edgether'eof in line with the edge) of the tooth of the pole 2 the lower edge thereof being substantially in line with the lower edge of the toothSO otthe pole 2.

Second p0s'iZ'i0u-.v-The' upper edge of the central portion 37 will lie inline with the upper edge of the toothfiO of the pole 2, and the lower edge will lie substantially-in line with the l owe-redge of tooth 3L Third positionr' lhe two edges of 37 will be in line with the upper edge of tooth 31 and the lower edge of tooth 32.

Fourth posittom The two; edges of 37 will be in l ne with the upper edge of tooth 32 and the lower edge of tooth 38.

The total width of the armature 4 maybe and preferably is somewhat less than the width of the pole pieces. The cut-away end portionsof the armature aid materially in accurate definitiomsince while they assist in pulling over the armature from one pole to another, they prevent the hanging or stickingof the armature to the pole which it is leaving, by providing sufficient air gap at that point.

In accordance wit-hthe provisions of the patent statutes, we have herein described the. principle of operationof our invention,

together with the apparatus, which we now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but we deslre to have 1t understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by othermeans. a Also, while it is designed to use the various features and elements in the combinations and relations described, some of these may be altered and others omitted without interfering with. the more general results goiitlined} andthe invention extends to such use. i 1

Having herein described our invention what weclaiin and: desire to accrue by Let tors Patent is i l i a l. Inv a step by step repeater motor, a plurality of field poles, an armature-associated tlierewitlr a-la star wheel fixedly connected i to said armature, a second star wheel connected with-said armature, a detentnormally engaging said first mentioned wheel to desynchronize the armature with respect to saidfield poles, means for disengaging said detentwhen'the motor is energized, a second detent normally disengaged andmeans fortive to said armature. resilient means for normally holding said first mentioneddetent inoperative position and for holding said seconddetent. 1n inoperativeposition, and

.means brought into action when the motor is energized for reversing the positions of said detents.

3. In a step-by-step repeater motor having a plurality of field poles and an armature, a, dish on the armature shaft having a lost motion connection therewith and having notches therein equal in number tothe number of steps of the motor, a detent yielding ly engaging said disk and so positioned with respect thereto that said detcnt lodges in anotch of said disk in each step position of said armature and an-indicator actuated from said disk.

4; In a step-by'step repeater motor having a plurality of field polesand an armature, a disk on the armature shaft having a lost motion connection therewith and having notches therein equal in number to the number oi steps of the motor, a normally disengaging detent, means brought into operation when the motor is energized for causing said detent to yieldinglyengage said llll) dish, said detent being so positioned with a disk'on the armature "shaft having a lost motion connection therewith and having notchesthcrein equal in number to thenumber of steps of the motor, a normally disengaging detent, and an electro-magnet connected to'said detent and adapted to be encrg'ized when themotor' is energized for causing'said detent to yieldingly engagesaid disk for predetermining the steps thereof.

6. In combination, astep-by-step repeater motoiya disk mounted on said motor and having notches therein equal in number to I the number of steps of the motor, anindia ca'tor card associated with said wheel and provided w-ith a reference numeral, a coto a fixed reference and means operative when the motor is deenergized for throwing themotorout of step position and said indicator out' of indicating position with respect to said fixed reference.

8. In combination, an index element, means having lost motion connection with said element for actuating the same, separatemeans for actuating said'element with.-

of said. means effective,

in the limits of said lost motion connection I andmeans whereby said 1ast-named means is rendered, effective whenv said first means is renderedinefiective. r

,9. In an indicating device, a step-by-step repeater motor :having an armature, an indicating element carried by said armature fixed reference, means for maintaining said element in indicating position, means for displacing said element from indicating position, and means for rendering said'first two means effective and ineffective, T includ ing means, whereby rendering either of said first twomeans neffective renders the other 10. In. an indicating device, a stepbysstep repeater motor havlng an armature, an indicatmg element carried by said armature and adaptedv tofindicate with respect to a and adapted. to indicate with respect to a fixedreterence, means for maintaining said element in indicating position, means for displacing said element from indicating position, means for rendering said first two means. effective and ineifective including means whereby rendering either ofsaid first two means ineffective renders the other of said means effective, and means whereby said first meansyis rendered eitective when said motor. 5 is rendered effective and said second means is rendered e'ifective when said motor is rendered ineffective.

, In testimony whereof we have aflixed our signatures.

RALPH E, KORTEPETER. ADOLF AMUNDSEN. 

